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Mistress Dorothy 


FRED. O. BARTLETT 

K 


ILLUSTRATED BY SARAH NOBLE-Il^ES 


\ 


E. 



NEW YORK 

P. DUTTON AND COMPANY 

31 WEST TWENTY-THIRD STREET 




THE LIBRARY OF 
CONGRESS, 

Two Copied Received 

SEP. 4 1901 

Copyright entry 

Tncu^ 

CLASS Q/XXo. N*. 
99 </o 
COPY a 



Copyright, igoi, 

BY 

E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY. 


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CHAPTER I 

THE STORY OF THE GREEN 
SQUIRREL 

TTAPPENED that as I 
^ ^ was riding by Squire 
Winthrop’s, meditating upon 
the beauty of the summer 
day, and so on God’s good- 
ness, Mistress Dorothy (the 
fairest of all the children in 
the colonies to my thinking) 
saw me and bade me dis- 



MISTRESS DOROTHY 


mount. Gossiping hussies said that I rode 
by Squire Winthrop’s more often than 
was needful, but they knew not of what 
they talked. Mayhap I did pass the house 
every fine afternoon, but the reason was, 
that being hard at work upon the law with 
Judge Snow, I found that if I saddled my 
mare and went out for a quiet ride, after 
having wrestled all day with some knotty 
problem in Blackstone, my muddled brain 
became once more clear. Therefore, I 
liked it little when these hussies with 
winks and such signs asked me how I 
made it with the law and hinted that 
it was rather the law of love than the 
love of law that brought me by Squire 
, Winthrop's. 

However, nothing loath, or in very truth, 
daring not disobey Mistress Dorothy’s 
command, I did hitch Bess, my mare, at 
the gate, and approaching the golden- 


STORY OF THE GREEN SQUIRREL 3 


haired lass running to meet me, desired to 
know her ladyship’s will. 

Quoth she with a pretty curtsy : 

“ Tell me, ’tory, Bwuver Ben.” 

I know not why she called me “ Bwuver 
Ben.” ’T was nothing, I suppose, but one 
of her pretty ways, yet when her sister 
Elizabeth was by, it made me turn a 
pretty color. 

“ Oho !”said I, seating myself beneath 
the large elm tree beside the house, — 
“ Oho ! And that was what my little 
sunbeam wanted.” I was wont to call her 
Sunbeam and such like names. 

“ And what, pray, shall it be about ? 
Shall I tell thee concerning Mistress Prig, 
who did pray nightly and, — ” 

“No! No! Bwuver Ben!” she said, 
stamping her little foot and growing angry. 
But then in a second, and before I had 
time to chide her, she slid her little arms 


4 


MISTRESS DOROTHY 


around my neck, and kissing me the while, 
murmured : “ Pwease, no, Bwuver Ben. 
Thou knowest 1 love not Mistwess Pwig.’’ 

I kissed the golden hair and she, know- 
ing she had been forgiven her unladylike 
(but I fear not unwomanlike) conduct, 
seated herself in my lap, and looking up 
at me with those wonderful brown eyes 
of hers (they were very like Elizabeth’s) 
said with a smile fading into a look of 
perplexity, “ Let it be — let it be about a 
squirrel ” ; and she settled back into my 
arms. 

I fear much that Elder Hardnaught 
liked little the yarns I was wont to spin to 
Dorothy, saying they did savor of witch- 
craft and like ungodly things. Yet I saw 
not the harm in them. Moreover, she 
did always go to sleep before I had done. 
So true was this that when she was ill and 
could not sleep, I — but I will tell that later. 


STORY OF THE GREEN SQUIRREL 5 

I looked about to see if Elizabeth were 
nigh, and not seeing her and so having 
courage, I began. 

“In the olden times there did live a 
small black squirrel — ” 

“Bwack?” queried Dorothy, doubt- 
fully. 

“ Green,” quoth I. 

She pouted up her lips in a pretty way 
she had when she would think, and then 
snuggling back as though all were settled, 
said: “Yeth. I fink gween. Go on, 
Bwuver Ben.” 

I did begin once more, but before I had 
done with that squirrel he must needs 
have a red tail, yellow feet, and purple 
eyes. Alas ! I knew it wrongful, but she 
was a wilful maid. 

At length with all things settled, I 
began. 

“In the olden times there once did live 


6 


MISTRESS DOROTHY 


a green squirrel, with a red tail, and with 
yellow feet, and purple eyes. He — ” 

“ Howbwig ? ” quoth Mistress Dorothy. 

I dutifully measured upon my finger 
how big I conceived him* to be. 

“ Go on,” she commanded. 

And so I told her how this squirrel did 
live on the top of a high mountain, and 
she disputed it not ; so I knew that I 
could now have my own way. Perhaps 
my thoughts drifted from my story, I 
know not, but this is the substance of 
what I said. 

One day while strolling down the moun- 
tain side he came upon a green meadow 
and saw in the middle thereof a mon- 
strous apple tree, and upon the apple 
tree the finest apple he had ever clapt his 
purple eyes upon. Immediately he was 
seized with a mighty desire for this apple, 
but dared not climb the tree. 


STORY OF THE GREEN SQUIRREL 7 


“And this apple,” quoth I, “was really 
a most wonderful apple.” — Here, me- 
thought, I caught a glimpse of Elizabeth, 
and my story was well-nigh gone from 
my head. — “For,” said I, “this apple did 
have, first, most wonderful red cheeks and 
then the very brightest of brown eyes — ” 
“ Bwown eyes,” said Mistress Dorothy. 

.“No! No!” said I. “What was I 
about? No, of course not ! But it really 
was, little sweetheart, a most wonderful 
and beautiful apple.” 

And then I told of how the squirrel 
would come each day fully resolved to 
climb the tree, but how each day his cour- 
age would fail him. And then I talked 
on and on until the golden head sank 
against my breast, even as the golden sun 
was sinking among the fleecy clouds 
which hung just above the trees in the 
distance. The breathing became longer 


MISTRESS DOROTHY 



and slower and 
more even, and 
so I brought my 
story to a close. 

“The leaves,” 
said I, “ turned 
all red and gold 
and brown, and 
still each day the 
little green 
squirrel came 
and waited be- 
neath the tree. 
And he waited, 
and waited, and 
waited.” 

I listened, 
and the gentle 
breath seemed 
to hesitate for a 
moment. 


STORY OF THE GREEN SQUIRREL 9 

“ And waited, and waited, and 
w-a-i-t-e-d — 

Sitting there in the warm silent breeze, 
I thought of a story of my own and then 
blushed at my boldness as Elizabeth 
stepped out of the twilight and kissed the 
child sleeping so peacefully in my arms. 



CHAPTER II 

THE STORY OF THE GOLDEN 
BUMBLEBEE 

LJAPPENED I was 
^ passing Mistress Do- 
rothy’s, and she, seeing me 
through the window, bade 
me halt. I obeyed, and, 
sitting there on the back of 
Bess, watched the dainty 
lass as she tripped across the green before 
the house and came to me. 

“Turn down, Bwuver Ben, so ’s I can 
kiss you,” said Dorothy. 

Zounds ! I would have forded our own 


lO 


THE GOLDEN BUMBLEBEE ii 

Black River in the springtime at that in- 
vitation. After I had held the pretty 
head to my breast, and given her a ride 
upon the back of Bess (it was good to see 
how carefully the mare did step when she 
knew Dorothy was upon her back), I was 
about to mount and off when I heard my 
little peach blossom 
say ; 

“ Will not tell me 
’tory, Bwuver Ben ? ” 

Of course she knew 
I would tell her a story, 
but I, liking to watch 
her tease, made as 
though to mount. 

“ Youse not nice, 

Bwuver Ben,” quoth 
the maid, and looking 
around I could see just 
the littlest crystal tear 



12 


MISTRESS DOROTHY 


grow and grow until finally gathering 
strength it trickled down the rosy cheek. 

The sight pained me sorely, and so kiss- 
ing it away, and another that was quickly 
following, I led her to our favorite place 
beneath the elm, and the rosy face was 
once more bright. 

“ Didst think I was going. Honey- 
bloom ? ” said I. 

And the rogue, holding her head a little 
to one side and looking up at me with a 
smile, answered, “ No, Bwuver Ben, not if 
I cwied ! ” 

And I, throwing back my head, laughed 
right heartily. 

“ Thou ’rt worse than Elizabeth,” I said, 
and looked about to make sure she was 
not near. “ But what sort of a story 
wouldst thou have this afternoon ? About a 
bumblebee ? ” said I, as a big fellow darted 
before us and into the hedge behind. 


THE GOLDEN BUMBLEBEE 


13 


'‘Yeth,”said Dorothy, settling herself 
very comfortably. “ About a bumblebee.” 

“ Once there lived,” I began, looking up 
into the blue sky, “ a green bumblebee.” 

“ Gween ? ” queried the maid. 

I knew she would permit me not to 
choose the color, but I must needs call it 
something. 

“Gween? No, I fink — I fink gold. 
Oncet there lived a gold bumblebee.” 

“ Once there lived,” I went on dutifully, 
“a golden bumblebee, — so big.” 

I showed on my thumb how big, and 
Dorothy nodded approvingly. 

“ And he lived in the land of Flowers. 
All day long he would fly around, buzz, 
buz-z- looking for the sweetest and fair- 
est of flowers for his honey. He would * 
dart in and out among the buttercups and 
daisies in the rich green fields, and then 
would steal softly down among the little 


14 


MISTRESS DOROTHY 


blue violets beside the brook, and anon 
would swiftly flash through the bright 
sunshine away up the mountain side to 
where he knew was hidden among the 
rocks a wild mountain rose. And when 
the night came he would close his golden 
eyes and sleep soundly until the morn. I 
suppose he was as happy as any bumble- 
bee who ever buzzed, — until he met the 
big red rose. One day the sky was so 
very blue and the bumblebee feeling so 
very fine that he thought he would jour- 
ney farther than was his wont. So, start- 
ing early, he did go over the top of the 
mountain and down the other side, to 
where he saw a little white house and be- 
fore it a very beautiful garden. From 
one flower to another did he dart, until, 
fairly tired, he thought it good time to re- 
turn. Then, alas ! He saw through a 
window the big red rose.” 


THE GOLDEN BUMBLEBEE 


15 


Here I thought I did catch a glimpse 


of Elizabeth through 

“ Never so long as 
he had lived had he 
ever seen such a rose 
as was this. He had 
never seen a rose so 
tall and stately ; he 
had never seen a 
rose with such dark 
red cheeks, or such 

wonderful brown 
)» 

eyes — 

“ Bwown eyes ? ” 
said Dorothy, dream- 
ily. She was but 
barely awake, and 
glad I was that she 
did not notice the 
color as it flew to my 
has brown eyes.) 


the window. 





s 

cheeks. (Elizabeth 


i6 MISTRESS DOROTHY 

I know not where my wits have gone of 
late. 

“No, Dorothy,” I hastily replied, “of 
course not. Brown stem, little sweet- 
heart, — a most wonderful brown stem.” 

But I had lost interest in my yarn and 
was for sitting there silently in the warm 
breeze and for listening to the songs of 
the summer birds, and thinking of — 

“ Go on,” commanded Dorothy, half 
asleep. 

I began, though slowly and half to 
myself. 

“ This rose was so wondrous handsome, 
little Golden-Hair, that Mr. Bumblebee 
dared not venture farther than the place 
where he had stood when first he saw it ; 
but every single day would he come 
there, and, lying hid in the heart of a big 
poppy growing nearby, would watch it 
and watch it. 


THE GOLDEN BUMBLEBEE 


7 


“ ‘ Some day,’ he said, ‘ I will enter the 
house and go to it’ But he did not ; he 
dared not.” 

The head had slowly sunk lower and 
lower. 

“ And so he waited, and waited, and 
w-a-i-t-e-d — ” 

My Dorothy was fast asleep. 

A robin on a nearby tree sang a few 
notes, and then as though suddenly aware 
of how late the hour, darted off to his 
nest. I dreamily watched the twig upon 
which he had perched as it waved back 
and forth. The sun slowly sank behind 
the trees and all the world was silent and 
at peace, save I myself. 

“ No,” I muttered, “he dared not, and 
so he waited, and waited, and waited.” 



CHAPTER III 

DOROTHY IS ILL 

TTAPPENED Iwas riding 
^ by Mistress Dorothy’s, 
towards the setting of the 
sun, and looking about for 
my little maid and not see- 

18 


DOROTHY IS ILL 


19 


ing her I was troubled, for she was always 
waiting for me at this time of the day. 
Hastily dismounting I left Bess at the gate 
and hurried towards the house, where I 
was met by Mistress Winthrop, whose 
cheeks, ordinarily so rosy, were as white 
as the snow. My knees did shake as 
she said hastily : “ Dorothy is very ill. 
I fear she is dying. Haste for the 
doctor.” 

I listened for no more, but catching my 
breath, which had left me, as it were, in a 
second, I turned on my heel and ran with 
all my speed to Bess. Jumping upon 
her back, I did kick her soundly with my 
heels, and off we went ; she making the 
road at a jump. I clutched the reins, and 
leaning far forward, urged her faster. It 
was a long ride to the doctor’s, and I 
should have saved her strength, but I 
knew not what I was about. This refrain 


20 


MISTRESS DOROTHY 


kept ringing through my head : “ Dorothy 
is dying ! Dorothy is dying ! ” 

The dull thump of my mare’s hoofs 
upon the hard ground seemed to keep 
time to the doleful measure. I leaned 
over and whispered it to Bess, and my 
voice was as hoarse as though I had 
shouted it every rod of the mile we had 
covered. 

“ Dorothy is dying ! Dorothy is dy- 
ing ! ” And once more I kicked her 
flanks. I could feel her quiver at this 
strange treatment. 

“ Pardon me, good Bess, but she is ill ! 
My sunbeam, my peach-bloom, my honey- 
bloom is dying ! ” cried I in my foolishness. 

The trees, the fences, the rocks went 
by me in an indistinct procession, but still 
I urged forward my mare. 

“Faster, good Bess,” I whispered, “for 
Dorothy is dying.” 


DOROTHY IS ILL 


21 


I passed, in my wild ride, many of my 
neighbors, but to all their queries I re- 
turned but one answer as I hurried on : 
“ Dorothy is dying.” 

I suppose they thought me bereft of 
my senses, and indeed I must have been 
a sorry sight, as hatless and with hair 
flying I hurried by in the gathering gloom 
on my foam-covered mare. 

I ascended the long hill, passed the 
turnpike, and turned sharp to the left. 
Bess was panting grievously, and though 
she barely saved herself from stumbling 
many times I dared not let her walk, and 
so on we went. At last I could see, far 
ahead, the lights in the doctor’s house, 
and urging forward my poor weak Bess, 
I hurried up the road and to the door. I 
waited not to knock, but staggered into 
the room. 

Dishevelled as I was I stood before the 


22 


MISTRESS DOROTHY 


doctor, who had sprung from his seat by 
the fire at my entrance, and said but this : 
“ Dorothy is dying ; haste ! ’’ 

The good man waited for nothing more, 
but getting together his vials, he ordered 
his son to saddle his two best horses (for 
he guessed from my appearance that Bess 
could be good for little) and then, hur- 
riedly seizing his hat, he jumped upon his 
horse and we were off. 

Mile after mile flew by, and we spoke 
not ; but both with heads bent low urged 
our horses the faster. Never so long as I 
live shall I forget that ride. The stars 
twinkled brightly overhead, the ground 
was hard beneath, and we saw nothing but 
the never-ending white line that marked 
the road and which swiftly crawled away 
beneath our eyes like a long white snake. 

At last we reached the house, and I, 
fearing to enter, waited without for him. 



Weak as I was from my 
long ride, I could not rest, 
but paced back and forth 
upon the greensward before 
the house. 

“ God is too good to take 
her away,” I muttered. 
“ Surely God is too good.” 

I tried to pray, but 1 felt 
that I could not until I 
should hear my Dorothy 
was safe. 

Elizabeth came to the 

door and besought me to 

enter, but I would not. I 

liked the cold, biting air, 
23 


24 


MISTRESS DOROTHY 


and though without hat or coat felt it 
not. 

It seemed to me, waiting out there, 
that days and nights passed ere the doc- 
tor came to the door. I feared to meet 
him, but he, seeing me, said, with tears of 
joy in his blessed eyes, “ I hope for the 
best ; the crisis is past.” 

And then, kneeling at the foot of the 
old elm, I prayed to my Maker, and 
thanked Him for His infinite goodness. 

Upon rising I saw Elizabeth beside me, 
and she, taking my hand in hers, thanked 
me, and besought me to return to the 
house, and I did. 



THANKSGIVING AT MISTRESS 

Dorothy’s 

AYS had passed where- 
in doubt had changed 
to fear ; fear to joy ; joy 
to doubt ; and so all over 
again. But at last Doro- 
thy was up and well again. 
It seemed as though the 
sun in the heavens above 
had but just emerged from 
the dark cloud it had en- 
tered the day when Doro- 
thy was first taken ill. 


25 


26 


MISTRESS DOROTHY 


Thanksgiving came, and I was asked 
to pass the day at Squire Winthrop’s, and 
to help make it a day for a double thanks- 
giving ; one for our good harvests (they 
had been exceedingly abundant), and 
one for our Dorothy’s recovery. I knew 
not the hold the maid had taken upon my 
heart until these last few weeks. She, 
even in her fever, so they told me, for I 
had not had the heart to go to her, called 
out loudly for Bwuver Ben, and told 
strange stories concerning green squirrels 
and golden bumblebees. The good Dea- 
con Hardnaught was sore troubled in re- 
gard to this, fearing the lass had been 
bewitched. This much I know, that when 
she had so far recovered as to sit up in 
her bed, she could not sleep until I had 
come in and told her a story. 

The house had been so busy within the 
last few days in preparing for this day. 


THANKSGIVING 


27 


that I was almost afraid to call. If I did 
venture near, it was only to find Dorothy 
with her sleeves rolled up to her chubby 
elbows and her little fat hands in a basin 
of dough. She was very busy, these days, 
was my little maid, and would say to me 
with a wave of a flour- covered hand, 
“ I can’t bover with you, Bwuver Ben ; 
I must finish my pie.” But I, keeping 
very quiet, would sit near and watch her. 
As for Elizabeth, I hardly found the 
chance to say Good-day. 

At last the Thanksgiving came, and 
at last the dinner came, and there never 
was in this world such a happy party as 
was gathered together at Squire Win- 
throp’s. The Squire slapped me so 
soundly upon my back with that large, 
broad palm of his that my back did fairly 
ache. But I minded it not, and clasped 
that same hand and said, “Was there ever 


28 


MISTRESS DOROTHY 


such a happy people ? ” And he could 
reply naught, but only press my hand the 
harder. The good Mother Winthrop 
was as happy as a mortal could be, and 
said rather apprehensively that she feared 
it was “ hardly righteous for mortals to be 
so happy, upon this earth,” as she was. 

And looking towards Elizabeth, who, 
standing just beyond with cheeks flushed 
with pleasure, was as sweet a sight as I 
ever beheld, I, half -jokingly, replied: 
“ Right to be happy. Mistress Winthrop ! 
As happy as we may ! But is it right 
for one to be so divinely beautiful as 
Elizabeth yonder ? ” 

And the soft, kind eyes glowed with a 
motherly joy as she answered, “Would, 
Ben, I had a son as good.” And I 
thought she looked strangely at me. 

But the prettiest, the daintiest, the hap- 
piest of them all that day was Dorothy. 


THANKSGIVING 


29 


She was everywhere, and wherever she 
appeared the cup of joy, already full, 
fairly brimmed over. 

Yea, for very joy 
we wept. 

The house was 
crowded with guests 
and the day did pass 
only too quickly. 

Looking back upon 
it now, it seems to 
me to be the bright- 
est picture of all my 
youthful days. I 
can see now each 
detail, from the ner- 
vous laughs and ex- 
pectant silence 
among the younger 
folk just before the banquet, to the bustle 
and excitement and savory smells when 



||j 


30 


MISTRESS DOROTHY 


it was spread upon the snow-white table 
linen. Oh, it was a goodly sight to behold 
the Squire as he tucked the corner of his 
napkin beneath his fat, double chin ! 

And after all had been cleared away, 
and we were seated around the ample 
fireplace, he, and the older men, told 
strange stories between the puffs of their 
long Dutch pipes ; stories of their homes 
in old England, and stories of weird 
ghost animals which at night roamed the 
forests far away to the West. 

The day came to a close, and one by 
one the guests departed until I alone of 
all was left, and I did not count myself as 
a guest. 

Darkness had slowly settled down upon 
the earth, and within the comfortable 
sitting-room were left only Elizabeth, 
Dorothy, and myself. 



THE STORY OF THE 
BIG BLUE BEAR 

WOULD 
fain have sat 
there in silence, 
^ watching the firelight 
as it rose and fell with 
the gusts of wind without ; now 
casting over Elizabeth’s face a rosy glow, 


31 


32 


MISTRESS DOROTHY 


and anon sinking to a flickering flame 
which did allow me to see but the outline 
of her fair features. It was a goodly time 
to dream, but Dorothy would have it not. 
Hardly had my thoughts begun their wan- 
derings before I heard from the damsel 
upon my knee the old request. And so, 
drawing her close to me, I did cast my 
thoughts about for a yarn. 

“Would,” I thought, “ I might tell her, 
and so Elizabeth, where my thoughts had 
been wandering.” Then there entered 
my thick head a bold plan, and so I be- 
gan, first gazing long into the glowing 
embers. 

“In the olden times, my sweetheart, 
there did live — ” 

“ A bwear, — a bwig bwear,” quoth Do- 
rothy. 

“ Aye, a big bear. ’T will do as well 
as aught else.” 


THE BIG BLUE BEAR 


33 


“ Bwoo ? ” she asked doubtfully. 

“ Aye, blue. And this big blue bear 
was, I fear, but a surly beast, though he 
was thought by some to have a kindly 
heart.” 

“ Thou ’st forgotten how bwig, Bwuver 
Ben ? ” 

“ As big as I,” I replied, looking out of 
the corner of my eyes at Elizabeth. But 
I could see naught of her face, for she 
was shielding it with her hand as though 
from the heat. 

“ And bwoo eyes, like yours, Bwuver 
Ben ? ” 

“Yes,” said I, turning my eyes to the 
embers. 

“ Go on,” quoth she at last, settling 
back, as was her wont when she had done 
with her foolish questions. 

“ This big blue bear,” I went on, “ lived 
much as other blue bears did, and though 
L.ofC. 


34 


MISTRESS DOROTHY 


it is not for me to say he was better than 
the others, I think he was no worse ; that 
is, until it entered his poor thick head that 
he would like to cross the big mountain. 
That was when the big blue bear came 
first to grief. Hardly had he crossed the 
top and gone a little way down the side 
when he came upon a little grassy dell. 
Here he set himself down to rest, and 
while resting did notice a little honey-bee 
fly from out the woods and into a tree 
beyond. Now he had learned to know 
that when a honey-bee entered the top of 
a hollow tree there was probably honey 
therein, and so he arose and walked to 
the foot of the tree, and there he found 
a big hole. He put his shaggy head 
therein, and looking up could see the fin- 
est honeycomb that he in all his life had 
ever seen. Glad at heart at his good for- 
tune, he began to climb the tree. But it 


THE BIG BLUE BEAR 


35 


was a very high tree, and he stopped to 
think about it, and so was lost.” 

I listened to see if Dorothy’s breathing 
did smack of sleep, for now that I had 
started on my task I liked it not and 
wished I were well out of it. Listening, 
I could hear her faintly say, “ Go on 
Bwuver Ben.” 

“ If he had been the brave blue bear he 
thought, he would have hesitated not, but 
as it was he said : ‘ Ugh. I will go home 
and in the morning I will climb the tree.’ 
And in the morning he came, but did not 
dare. He looked with longing upon the 
honey, but said he to himself, ‘ What if I 
fall ! ’ And this it was that made him 
afraid. And so he waited, and waited, 
and waited.” 

Methought I heard the deep breathing 
now, and so I went on softly, — “ And 
waited, and waited, and w-a-i-t-e-d — ” 


36 


MISTRESS DOROTHY 


Dorothy was asleep, and so I stopped. 

“Will thy stories never end?” quoth 
Elizabeth. 

“ I know not,” I answered almost gruffly, 
and yet coloring to mine eyes like a 
naughty urchin. 

For the space of a few moments naught 
was said, and then getting together my 
wits I asked : “ Dost think the blue bear 

was a coward to wait? If he fell he lost 
all.” 

Softly as the sighing wind I heard her 
say, “ Art sure he would have fallen ?” 

And then suddenly I became no longer 
bashful, but bending towards her I said, 
“ Elizabeth, Elizabeth, dost love me ? ” 

And soft and clear was her answer, 
“ Yes, Ben.” 

Then Dorothy awoke and sleepily 
asked, — “And did the bwear get the 
honey, Bwuver Ben ? ” 


THE BIG BLUE BEAR 


37 


“ Aye, my little sweetheart, he did ; and 
never was in all this worlds weeter honey 
than that same honey or happier bear 
than that same Big Blue Bear.” 


THE END. 








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